About STAAD Pro Connect Edition

[Link] CONNECT Edition is used to create, analyze, and design any type of virtual
structure through its flexible modeling environment. The three basic activities which are to be
carried out to achieve this goal are: model generation, calculations to obtain the analytical results,
and result verification. All these activities are discussed individually in different chapters.
[Link] is designed for engineers who understand the process of modeling, analyzing, and
designing a structure.
BASIC FEATURES OF [Link] CONNECT EDITION

1. State-of-the-art 2D/3D graphical environment.

2. Ability to perform structural analysis and design generate 2D/3D CAD/BIM models.
3. Physical and analytical modeling of truss and beam members, plates, solids, linear and
non-linear cables, and curvilinear beams.
4. Advanced automatic load generation facilities for wind, area, floor, and moving loads.
5. Customizable structural templates for creating a model.
6. Toggle display of loads, supports, properties, and structural elements.
7. User-controlled numbering scheme for structural elements.
8. The ability to use design codes from various countries and regions around the world to
perform analysis of a structure.

OPEN TAB
The Open Tab is used to open an existing STAAD input file. This
NEW TAB
The New Tab is used to create a new project.
ARCHIVE TAB
The Archive Tab is used to create or extract an archive file.
SHARE TAB
This is where you can share your STAAD Models with other users or send the model via email.
HELP TAB
The Help Tab contains two sections: Help and About. The Help section contains several options
that enables you to access help documents online or offline, technical support services, and so
on. You can access the information about the software releases and visit home page of Bentley
using the options provided in the About section of the Help tab.
List of options provided in the Help section of the Help tab:

Option Name Description

Contents Opens the online help in your web browser.
OpenSTAAD Help Open the online-help in your web browser to
the OpenSTAAD Documentation.
Technical Support Opens the Worldwide Technical Support
Resources dialog box, which pffers a map of
worldwide technical support contacts
for [Link].
ReadMe Opens the [Link] Connect Edition Read
Me file in your web browser.
Knowledge Base/FAQs Opens the [Link] Support Solutions pagr
on Bentley Communities in your web browser.
Discussion Group Opens the RAM | STAAD|Open Tower Forum
on Bentley Communities in your web browser
Tutorials Opens the Bentley LEARN server in your
web
browser. Here you can access training and
learning paths for [Link] and other
Bentley products.

List of options provided in the About section of the Help tab:

Option Name Description

About [Link] Opens the About [Link] CONNECT
Edition dialog, which contains version,
licensing, and legal information about the
product. Any technical
preview items contained in the current
version will also be listed here.
Product News Open the RAM | STAAD| Open
Tower Announcements Forum in your
web browser.
Home Page Opens the [Link] home page in your
web browser.
Ideas Opens the Bentley community page where you
can share your ideas to improve the software.
 LICENSE TAB
The License Tab is used to check the activation status of currently installed products and manage
license options for [Link].
CONFIGURE TAB
The Configure Tab is used to set program wide parameters. This tab can be used to change
parameters for a project such as Project Units, Global Axis, Design Codes, Section Database,
and so on.
In [Link], there are two base unit systems: English Imperial and metric.

STARTING A NEW PROJECT

To start a new project, choose the New option from the left pane; the Model Information page
will be displayed, as shown below. Enter name of the file in the File Name edit box in the Model
Information page. To specify the file location, click on the Browse button available next to the
Location edit box; the Select Folder will be displayed. Select the folder where you want to save
the file and then choose the Select Folder button; the path of the location will be displayed in
the Location edit box. Next, choose Analytical in the Type area and Metric in the Units area.
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
Ribbon Tab
The Ribbon tab is located at the top of the interface. It comprises different tabs: File, Geometry,
View, Specification, Loading, Analysis and Design, Select, and Utilities. These menus will be
available in the Analytical Modeling mode. When you switch to a different mode such
Postprocessing, different tabs will appear in the Ribbon tab.
File
The File menu contains the options which are used for performing different operations such as
creating new structure, opening an existing model, saving files, printing files, and so on.
Geometry
The Geometry tab contains the Clipboard, Structure, Node, Beam, Plate, Solid, Physical Member,
and Composite Deck panels.
Options in the Geometry Tab:
1. Snap/Grid Node tool is used to specify the grid and snap settings for creating nodes,
beams, plates, and solids.
2. Insert Node tool is used to insert node on an existing member.
3. Add Plate tool is used to add plates by connecting nodes.
4. Create Infill Plates tool is used to automatically generate the floor slab by selecting
some all beams in a structure.
5. Translational Repeat tool is used to copy the entire structure in circularly.
6. Circular Repeat tool is used to copy the entire structure in circularly.
7. Generate Surface Meshing tool is used to create a finite element mesh.
8. Surface Meshing tool is used to create a finite element mesh
9. Rotate tool is used to rotate the selected portions of the structure or the entire structure
about the specified axis through a specified distance.
10. Merge Selected Member tools is used to merge two members and replave them with one
11. Renumber tool is used to renumber nodes, members, or plates starting with a specified
number.
12. Run Structure Wizard tool

View
The View tab consists of the Labels, Tools, Views, Options, and Windows panels.

Select
The Select tab consists of the Cursors, Geometry, Nodes, Beams, Plates, solids, Filter, Attributes,
and Modes panels.
Specification
The Specification tab consists of the Beam Profiles, Plate Profiles, Materials, Specifications,
Supports, and Tool panels.

The Assign option is used to assign sections, materials, material properties, supports, and
specifications to the to the structural members. The plate Thickness option is used to specify
the plate thickness. The Constants option is used to define and assign material constants such
as Density, Elasticity, Poisson’s Ratio, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, and so on. In this
window, you can calculate section property values such as area, moment of inertia, and so on
for cross sections. These cross sections can be assembled from pre-existing standard shapes,
user-created shapes, and parametric shapes.
Loading
The Loading tab is used to define and apply load on a structure. The Loading tab consists of the
Loading Specifications, Load Generation, Define Load Systems, Dynamic Specifications, and
Display panel.

Analysis and Design

The Analysis and Design tab consists of the Analysis Data, Analysis Could Services, and
Design Commands panel.

The Analysis Commands and Pre-Analysis Commands option open the Analysis/Print
Commands dialog box which is used to be included in the input command file, respectively. The
Post Analysis Print – Whole Structure dialog box, which is used to define the post-analysis print
commands to be included in the input command file. The Miscellaneous Commands option is
used to add commands such as Input Width, Output Width, Set Z Up, and so on. The Run
Analysis option performs the STAAD analysis as directed by input commands. The Design
Commands panel is used to specify design parameters and commands.
Utilities
The Utilities tab consists of the Geometry Tools, Physical Model, Query, Display, Edit, View, Tools,
Developer, and User Tools panels. The Utilities panel is divided into Edit, View, and Tools panels.

Tool Search
You can search for any tool by typing a part of the name in the Search field. In the search
results drop- down, click Show details to display the tool tip description for each tool in the
results list. The tool search box is placed at the right extreme corner of the Ribbon tab.
Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar is located just adobe the Ribbon tab. It contains some of the most
frequently used tools in a convenient location.

The Save tool saves any change made to the current model.
The Open tool opens the start page screen of [Link] CONNECT Edition with the Open tab
selected, which is used to select a model to open in the program.
The Close tool closes the current model and returns to the start screen [Link] CONNECT

Edition. The Undo tool undo some previous operation.

The Redo tool redo some previous undo operation.

The Command File Editor tool opens the current input command file (file extension .std) in
[Link] CONNECT Edition Editor. If any change made in the structure is unsaved, you are
prompted to save the structure first.
The STAAD Output tool opens the results of a successful analysis and design of the current
model in the STAAD Output Viewer window.
Workflow
The [Link] user interface allows you to switch between the Analytical Modeling, Physical
Modeling, Building Planner, Piping, Postprocessing, Foundation Design, Steel AutoDrafter,
Connection Design, Advanced Concrete Design, Chinese Steel Design, Advanced Slab Design,
and Earthquake tabs.
Analytical Modeling
The Analytical Modeling tab is the first tab of the Workflow. This tab contains different pages
which are used for creating structure, assigning properties, assigning supports, defining loads,
and so on.
Physical Modeling
[Link] Physical Modeler is user interface for modeling structures using physical concepts.
Beams and surfaces are placed in the model on the same scale as they would appear in the
physical world. You can model structure geometry, specifications, and many loads with
[Link] Physical Modeler.
Note
Existing analytical models cannot be opened in the physical modeler. When you open a model
that was created using the physical modeler, you will be asked if you want to open the model in
the physical modeler environment. Select the Physical Modeling workflow. The [Link]
Physical Modeler window will be displayed.
When a structure is to be analyzed, an analytical model is generated from the physical model in
a process referred to as decomposition. Surface entities will mesh into plate elements and
beams will be automatically subdivided for analysis as required by intersecting members.
Postprocessing
This workflow offers graphical result verification and visualization facilities. A comprehensive
custom report generation facility is also incorporated. The customized reports may be in both
tabular and graphic form. The Postprocessing tab has the Displacements, Reactions, Beam
Results, Plate Results, solid Results, Dynamics, and Reports pages.
Displacements
The Displacements page allows you to view the nodes and beam relative displacements. You
can view them graphically in the view window or in tabular form in the data area.
Beam Results
The Beam page allows you to view the member end forces and member stresses in both
graphic and tabular form. It also allows you to view the bending moment diagram and shear
force diagram of individual members at a time.
Reports
The Report page allows you to create customized report. This report will include structural
elements, properties, load cases, mode shapes, numerical and graphical results, and so on.
DATA AREA
In [Link], the data area is located on the right side in the interface. This area contains
different windows and tables. In this area, you can provide the coordinates for creating nodes,
and members, define member properties, define supports, define loads, and so on. This area
will be displayed on creating a new file or opening an existing file. The figure below shows the
partial view of the data area which contains the Nodes and Beams tables.
STATUS BAR
Status Bar displays the current workflow along with tips on next actions based on the current
tools. You can also set the current load case and inputs units in the status bar.
VIEW WINDOW
the View window covers the largest area in the interface. In the View window, the created
structure along with the assigned properties, loads, supports, and specification will be displayed.
The analysis results and diagrams will also be displayed in this area.
MOUSE CONTROLS
Mouse Scroller it is use to zoom in and zoom-out the [Link] Model. By pressing it, it
can also be used to pan the model.
Left click is mostly use in selecting [Link] objects, assigning properties, support,
specifications, etc.
Right click is used to open Context Menu.

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
In [Link], keyboard shortcuts are assigned to some of the frequently used commands. These
shortcuts can be typed using the keyboard to invoke the corresponding command. These
shortcut keys are also available in the Label Tab of the Diagram dialog box, as show below. To
invoke the Diagram dialog boxm right-click in the main window; a shortcut menu will be
displayed. Table below shows some of the frequently used shortcut keys in [Link].
Some of the common keyboard shortcuts in [Link]

use with "shift" key: [Link] actions

shift+a specifications of beam
shift+b beam number
shift+c display solid number
shift+e beam startimg and end points
shift+f floor loading
shift+i origin of model
shift+j property reference number
shift+k show nodes
shift+l master and slave nodes
shift+m material assigned
shift+n node numbers
shift+o local axis of individual members
shift+p plate number
shift+r release provided
shift+s shows supports
shift+t plate orientations
shift+v display load values
shift+x property assigned
shift+y floor loads

use with "ctrl" key: [Link] actions

ctrl+1 section outline
ctrl+2 solid section
ctrl+4 render
ctrl+0 no outline
ctrl+o open file
ctrl+p print file
ctrl+s save file
ctrl+g define group dialog box
ctrl+z undo
ctrl+c copy
ctrl+v paste
ctrl+y redo
ctrl+n create new staad model file
ctrl+f5 run analysis
ctrl+ mouse scroll wheel increase or decrease the view window,
diagram size
Miscellaneous shortcuts
f2 section outline
f4 solid section
f1 render
Esc no outline
Up, Down, Left and Rotate model in the view
Right arrow keys window
Global Axis Orientation
The default orientation of the global coordinate system of [Link] is that the Y axis points in
the vertical direction, and a plan view is represented by the XZ plane. This coordinate system
orientation may be different than that used in some CAD programs. To address this,
[Link] provides an option called Set Z up. This option may be used in situations where
model geometry is being imported from a cad file where the Z axis has been oriented vertically.
However, be aware that the use of the Set Z Up option will eliminate the ability.
Local Axis Orientation of Members
Color Green local z-axis
Color Red local y-axis
Color Blue local x-axis

Member local axis

Member End Forces
Member end forces and moments in the member result from loads applied to the structure.
These forces are in the local member coordinate system. The following figures show the
member end actions with their direction.

Member end forces orientation

+Fx = compression
-Fx = tension
Fy = Shear (vertical)
Fy = Shear (horizontal)
+Mz = major axis bending in compression
-Mz = major axis bending in tension
+My = major axis bending in compression
-My = major axis bending in tension
Plate Element Local Coordinate System

Plate element local axis

Output of Plate Element Stresses and Moments

Plate element sign conventions for stresses and moments

+Mx = plate top face bending
-Mx = plate bottom face bending
+My = plate top face bending
-My = plate bottom face bending